Capturing an Outlaw Spirit on 2-Inch Tape

“We could stand to improve the community aspect of music here in Boston. And therein lays our aim.”

In the last year, Boston-based Southern folk and rock fusion band Coyote Kolb has solidified its lineup, built up a groundswell of support and finished work on their second LP, tentatively titled United State, set for release early this year.

The previous twelve months marked the arrival of two new members: Owen Beane on bass guitar, and Noel Coakley on pedal steel and banjo. They join lead singer and guitarist, Chadley Kolb, drummer Matty Maybruck, and Sonny Jim Clifford on harmonica and slide guitar.

According to Kolb, he writes all the songs, and the band collectively edits and arranges them. “As far as style goes, well, it comes from so many places it’s hard to pinpoint,” Kolb says. “We don’t have a lot of pretense about it but certainly we are unified by our inspiration from early American blues, country blues, which carried through the classic rock era, and that outlaw spirit.”

Granted, there are tons of hugely successful acts that have come from Boston; this city has seen its fair share of bands flee for New York or Los Angeles. That said, Kolb thinks Boston is a perfect place to launch the band. “I don’t know that Boston is any tougher than anywhere else, really,” he says. “People always make excuses. Sometimes it’s easier for a big fish to get noticed in a smaller pond.”

“One thing I will say is that a lot of transplants and out-of-towners tend to regard the people of the Northeast as up-tight, or unfriendly compared to other places in the country,” he adds. “To whatever degree this is true, we could probably stand to improve the community aspect of music here in Boston and therein lays our aim.”

Moving forward, Coyote Kolb is currently finishing up work on their new album, working with Eric Welsh over at Chillhouse Studios in Charlestown, MA. The record will consist of 11 songs and is being recorded to 2-inch tape. On January 28, the band will be playing Great Scott in Allston with good friends Tallahassee.

“If things work out the way we intend, this album will be far superior in every way, as compared with the first one,” Kolb says, adding that the band has a focused goal moving into the New Year. “Do the best work we can do, and see how many doors we can open,” he says. “With a little luck, our efforts may resonate near and far, and take us with it for adventure.”